• Format Specifier - DISTRESS (automatically included)
• Self Identification – 9-digit MMSI (automatically included)
• Nature of Distress – UNDESIGNATED DISTRESS is sent by default unless a choice is selected manually from a list of eight specific dangers, i.e., fire/explosion, flooding, collision, grounding, listing and in danger of capsizing, sinking, disabled and adrift, or abandoning ship.
• Position   – LAT/LONG, automatically included if equipment is interfaced with, for example, GPS. The position can be entered manually at time of incident. Otherwise default information, “no position information”, is sent or the last entered position (this should be updated manually at the beginning of each watch period).
• Time    – TIME the position was valid. Automatic or manual entry, otherwise default information is transmitted.
• Subsequent Communications – R/T or NBDP, indicates whether radiotelephony or narrow-band direct printing will be used for the subsequent distress communications. The default information is “radiotelephony”.